Journey of a Protector
by Death's Silent Approach
Summary: Sequel/Prequel to my story Unexpected Protector. A series of connected one shots detailing the lives of the Tribe, Bunnymund, and Jack. Chapter 5: Jack's Kids- You lean something new about someone every day even years after having known them.
1. New Life, New Hope

AN: So this is the first chapter of the drabbles that are going to center around my story "Unexpected Protector." There will be no rhyme or reason to their order. They will be snippets of the past, present, and possibly the future. All of the guardians may be included in some drabbles but it will mostly be of Jack, Bunny, and the Pooka tribe though they may not all be included in every chapter.

I am dedicating this particular chapter to AyameKitsune for reviewing every chapter of "Unexpected Protector." When I asked what she would like to see she asked for the interaction of Jack and baby pooka so here it is.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognizable characters from "Rise of the Guardians."

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Jack had only known the strange new creature for a month now. They had told her that they were pooka but she couldn't help but think that they looked like the creatures in Australia that she had seen in passing called kangaroos.

Jack had arrived that morning at the crystal lined caves she had brought them too when she learned that they needed somewhere to hide. The mountain the caves were located in was covered in miles upon miles of sprawling wild life. Trees and plants grew so close together there was almost no space on the forest floor to walk and so the four pooka had taken to leaping from tree to tree though one of the females tended to remain inside of the safety of the cave.

When Jack had arrived she found herself being shoved into one of the walls in a not so gentle manner. She had managed to calm the male named Kree down enough to give her an explanation. She just about squealed in joy when she learned that Kree's mate Calla had given birth to a set of twin males. Kree had gone on to say that it was a bad time to approach them but she could look at them from the distance of the mouth of the tunnel that led into the cavern the small family had claimed as their own.

Jack had happily agreed so Kree led her slowly to the cave. She had stopped upon reaching the threshold while he continued until he reached his golden furred mate with blood red markings shaped like wisps of flames. Both babies were unmarked but they were both covered in downy fur. One was the color of freshly fallen snow and the other was the color of dark clouds about to drop snow on some unsuspecting village.

With a smile she turned away with a promise to herself that she would return in two months time to let the new family settle in.

*Time Skip-Two Months*

Having stayed out of the caves for two months Jack had gone about her business of bringing winter to the world though she frequently made appearances to check to make sure that the two families where well. Raaleigh was the only one of the six to greet her during those two months to inform her of what was going on. It turned out that Raaleigh's mate Glea was now pregnant as well.

Today was different though. All six of the pooka were sitting outside of the caves. The two little ones were rolling all over each other and had grown rapidly over the time she had been away. Slowly she approached. Raising her hand in greeting she called, "Hello everyone. I see you have brought the little ones out to play."

"Welcome back," Kree rose to his hind feet and swooped down to pick up his twins. Hoping closer to Jack he gestured for her to hold out her arms, "This," he said depositing the snow white twin, "Is Lenore." Depositing the smaller storm grey twin in her arms as well he continued, "This is Jakol."

Jack's eyes were misty as she gazed down at the twins who stared back at her in utter adoration. "They're beautiful Kree." Gently hefting them higher she lowered her face to them and brushed her cheeks against first Lenore then Jakol's. "They will grow strong and wise and will be much loved by everyone."


	2. Don't Drag Me Into This

AN: Thank you for those of you who reviewed. You know who you are so I'm not going to name names. Thank you everyone who added me to their alerts and favorites as well.

Chapter Summary: Your favorite holiday is what?!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognizable characters from "Rise of the Guardians."

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It had been close to three months since Bunnymund had first visited the Snow Tribe and Easter preparations were over and the eggs distributed just in time for North to call a meeting. Sighing Bunnymund heaved himself to his feet before heading out of his Warren where he had been resting.

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Jack looked at the wavering lights that only the spirits of the world could see and sighed she had been enjoying time with Sophie and Jamie after their Easter Egg hunt when they had appeared in the sky. What a way to ruin a holiday. It almost made Jack wonder if North had done it on purpose so that all of the guardians could celebrate Easter together. After all, she didn't know what their Easter traditions normally were since this was her first since the defeat of Pitch.

Saying goodbye she called upon the wind to sweep her up into its grasp and to the north pole.

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The four oldest guardian's sat scattered around North's office as they waited for the fifth guardian. "Sorry I took so long to get here," Jack called as the shutters on the window shuddered in the wake of the wind that carried her into the office. "I wasn't expecting to get called in on a holiday."

"It is alright," North rumbled gently, "we must not have informed you that we have a meeting after a major holiday to include Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving and St. Patrick's day to name a few. There are others but they would probably not sound familiar to you so I left them out." (AN: I'm pretty sure that other religions have their own holidays, but these are the one's I am most familiar with.)

Jack nodded her acceptance, "So then what is this meeting about?"

"Mostly to find out how the holiday went and if there was anything suspicious that any of us might have encountered. While Easter is not as important as Christmas we must make sure that everything ran smoothly and that no one interfered."

As North spoke Jack noticed that Bunnymund had stiffened at the casual mention that Easter was not as important as Christmas. Wincing Jack backed away when she realized what was about to happen. She had only been to a few of these meeting but this argument came up every single time. Walking to Sandy and Tooth she realized that she had moved just in time to not be in the way of the enraged pooka's path to North so that he could yet at him from an inch away rather then several feet. "Why do they do this every time? I don't understand both holiday's are as important as the other."

Sandy shrugged his shoulder's helpless to answer her question because he wondered the same thing. "I think they like to argue." Tooth replied.

"A distinct possibility. They are both fighters after all."

"Hey Jack," Tooth started.

"Yeah?"

"Just out of curiosity," Tooth began catching the attention of the to fighters. "What is your favorite holiday?"

"Oh MIM did you have to ask me that with both of them right there?" Jack gestured at the Russian and the pooka who were now staring intently at her. "Either way I answer they are both going to be insufferable."

Tooth blinked her eye rapidly in shock as Jack dodged her question. "We all know which holiday they prefer," she began gesturing to North and Bunnymund, "I prefer Christmas and Sandy prefers Easter. Your preference would be the tie breaker."

Jack simply blinked and shook her head, "No, no way I am I getting dragged into this to be a tie breaker. I like both holidays and I'm not going to say any more then that." At the end of her spiel Jack crossed her arms over her chest and slouched.

"That's not what Kira was trying to say," Bunnymund threw out. "Before you stopped her she seemed to be implying that you preferred Easter."

"Dang it Bunny don't drag me into yours and North's ridiculous argument. A holiday is a holiday. Either way the kids are going to enjoy for the fact that one of them ensures that they are going to get a present from someone and the other guaranties that they are going to be on a sugar rush for a few days."

This simple statement had the other guardians staring at her in shock as they tried to process it. "But. But. But," were the only words North could force out through his stupor.

"If the meeting is only going to continue this way. I'm going to go. I haven't slept in a few weeks and its my off season. I'll be with the tribe in Antarctica. Send Bunny to get me if you need me." With those words Jack stalked to the window and leaped out to be caught by the wind and guided her slight form out of sight.

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AN: This is not how I actually feel about the holidays. I think that the holidays are great for families to have a chance to get together and spend more time with each other rather then over the phone or snatching a few hours here and there.


	3. Dray Vs Bunny

AN: Thank you for those of you who reviewed I'm really glad that you enjoyed the last chapter. Suggestions for the next drabble are welcome.

Chapter Summary: Dray confronts Bunnymund about their last fight over Jack.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognizable characters from "Rise of the Guardians."

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Bunnymund had been visiting the tribe for the last two days before he saw the male that made Jack uncomfortable again. "Hey you, yeah you outsider!" called a slightly familiar voice as he spoke with the male called Grear. Jack hadn't been able to introduce them before she had left to answer winter's call.

Looking up he saw the figure of the male Dray whom had cause Jack discomfort. "Outsider? I don't think anyone's called me that in a very long time kit."

Dray practically hissed at being called a kit, "I'm no kit outsider. I'm nearly one hundred and fifty years old. I'm not here about how old we are though. How dare you interrupt up me speaking to my future mate."

Bunnymund looked highly skeptical, "Future mate? Like I said that first day Jack looked like she would rather disappear into the unknown then be your mate. She literally attempted to hide away from you so that you wouldn't bother her about something she doesn't want. Does the meaning of the word no mean nothing to you?"

Dray huffed, "She's in denial. Our mating is inevitable. I'm the strongest warrior in the tribe and as such it is my duty and pleasure to take her as my mate since she is the strongest female." Dray's entire body was held in an arrogant stance. Every single line of his body spoke of his certainty.

"Seems to me that as your village's protector that she has more of a right to choose if she will be your mate or not. Not only are you not even half her age you aren't even half her strength. Did you even consider that while you may have the physical presence to overwhelm her that her magical strength so outstrips you that she could very well choose to strip you of both your physical and magical strengths? I may not have known her well until recently but even I have heard of the Winter Guardian well before she became a guardian of childhood like myself, Toothiana, and North. You truly think that you in anyway deserve to have her as her mate on your choice alone?"

The discussion between the wind male and the earth male had drawn a crowd of nearly then entire tribe. Closest to the two males were the two elders Kree and Raaleigh. "Bunnymund speaks correctly Dray. Jack has at every turn said no to every male who has ever asked her to become their mate. This include mine and Kree's sons." Raaleigh spoke while moving toward Bunnymund and Dray.

"Since you seem unable to accept the fact the Jack has told you time and time again apparently. It comes down to Raaleigh and I to make a decree that will be enforced since you will not listen to a female who has said no time after time."

Kree nodded to Raaleigh before the both spoke in time with the exact same words. "Dray Learson, you are hereby denied any rights to mating any female until such a time as we see that you have earned it. By disregarding a females choice to deny a male who asks her to be his mate more then once we forbid you to be in her presence until such a time when she herself lifts the ban. So it is said."

"So may it be," echoed from those gathered in a loose circle around the elders and the two males.

"Jack has been very generous to us. She has protected and sheltered us these last three hundred years and this is how you repay her?" A distraught female voice broke the silence that had fallen after the decree. Slowly the crowd parted for an autumn pooka. She was mostly golden with spots of rust red here and there. She was bent with age but still had a great presence. "Grandson I have spoken to you many times over this obsession you have with our protector and I see no reason to plead with Kree and Raaleigh for another sentence so do not come beg me for my help to change their minds." With those words the female turned away and slowly made her way back through the path in the crowd.


	4. More Pooka

AN: Thank you for those of you who reviewed, added me to their alerts, and added this story to your the hunt for a new home begins.

Chapter Summary: Jack discovers more pooka.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognizable characters from "Rise of the Guardians."

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Jack had been the spirit of winter for nearly two years now and besides helping the pooka settle into their current living space she was quiet busy. She made sure the winter season began on time in an orderly fashion. She figured that her almost obsessive need to have everything happen in a timely manner followed over from her life before she became a spirit even though she remembered nothing of it.

Even now she was flying over the miniscule villages that appeared to be no more then tiny dots to her. As she neared the pond where she had awoken she began to lower herself until her feet gently grazed the fallen leave that became frosted over upon her touching them. This phenomena was no longer a surprise to her after to years. Every time she alighted upon some manner of perch this occurred. Whether or not it had a delicate pattern such as the leaves did now was up to her conscious mind.

As she drew closer to the pond she began to hear nearly soundless sobs and keens of despair. 'What,' she wondered, 'was the cause of such heartache?' Wondering closer to where the sobs sounded from she found herself slipping into a well hidden cave. This cave was dark and damp. Nothing at all like the well lit caverns that Kree, Raaleigh and their mates occupied. Who ever would want to live here?

As she moved further and further into the caves the darker it got until she had to rely entirely on her senses other then her sight. Finally the sobs became so loud she knew she had arrived at wherever the beings who were emitting them resided. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Jack asked softly as she brought her powers forth and directed them to glow gently.

The soft blue light bathed the cavern she stood in uncovering what was once hidden by the darkness. Before her were three young pooka. She only knew what they were from having seen the young of Kree and Raaleigh. "Where are your parents young ones?"

The smallest pooka's keening got louder and even more high pitched at the question as the largest turned to her even as his to smaller sibling continued to sob and keen, "Our parents are gone." The little one's eyes closed in despair, "The boogieman got them."

Now the boogieman was a name she was familiar with. The elder pooka had never called the man who was after them by a name she could recognize but the boogieman. . . well that was a different set of problems all on its own. Slowly Jack reached out beseechingly to the little one, "Come with me," she murmured softly, "I will bring you to Kree and Raaleigh. They can help you better then I can. They are pooka like you."

This statement brought the attention of the other two young-lings to her, "Really?" All three echoed.

"Yes, my name is Jack Frost. What are yours?"

"I'm Scree." The eldest whom she had been talking to began. Scree was about as tall as her waist and had fur so dark a blue he almost looked black. This color was offset by splotches of the color green. Gracing his forehead was a leaf like pattern.

The next to speak was the one who had been sobbing. She was the such a a pale gray she almost looked like the moon with darker gray spots along her left shoulder that trailed diagonally to her right hip then curled and side and ended with her tail being the largest spot of dark gray. "I'm Dusk."

The last one, the smallest, continued to keen. She was fire engine red with brownish/black fur that covered her shoulder blade like a shall then curled over her arm over her shoulder the spots seemed to drip down in a bead-like pattern from the edges that curled over her shoulders to end at her feet. Finally her keening tapered off. "I," she managed to gasp out before taking another breath, "I am Leer. Are you going to be our new mommy?"

Jack restrained her self from physically reacting. "I could," she began hesitantly, "but only if that is what you really want. I am after all a stranger."

Scree shrugged, "We're better off with someone we barely know then someone we don't know at all. Besides before we go anywhere we can get to know you and vice verse."

"You are very smart Scree. If you really want me to be your mother then I have no objection."


	5. Jack's Kids

AN: Thank you for those of you have reviewed. This chapter is a little later then I meant for it to be but its been one of those weeks.

Chapter Summary: Bunnymund finds out the hard way about Jacks Kids. (This is more of a futuristic view of the guardians and is not part of the present where he had just met the tribe.)

Disclaimer: I do not own any character or place you may remotely recognize.

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It had been thirty years since Bunnymund had first met the other pooka and had begun to get to know them. He was very grateful to Jack for bringing him to the tribe and at first was constantly telling her thank you. It wasn't until one day that Jack decided instead of hearing him say thank you again and asking her how he could repay her that their relationship changed.

He had not in the slightest expected for her to interrupt him halfway through is sentence with a kiss. When she had moved back she had simply smiled at him before saying that he was most welcome before flying away.

Now thirty years later Bunnymund was minding his own business while painting the eggs when it happened. Jack had just left after their rather heated visit when three pooka whom he had seen around the tribe but never spoken with popped out of a tunnel to his left.

One of them strode straight up to him before halting less then a foot away from him simply observing him through narrowed eyes. The other two hung back and studied him from a distance in the same manner though they seemed just a little bit more tense as the seconds ticked by.

Managing to back away to get room to observe the pooka who he had smelled to be female got a good look at her. She was, as the humans would say, fire engine red. She apparently had the famed temper of the summer pooka that her coloring indicated she was.

The next one he turned his attention to was the color of the moon and just as mysterious he would bet. She must be a winter pooka he mused. She was probably the calmest of the three he noted as he turned his attention to the only male of the three.

The male was dark, dark brown with hints of green. Bunnymund could only guess him to be a spring pooka like himself. "May I help you?" Bunnymund finally asked after his inspection.

"You are courting our mother. Yet you have not requested our permission to do so," replied the moon gray female in a light airy tone. The other female practically growled at him. The male only looked on in indifference.

"I was not aware that Jack had adopted you. I have not even asked Jack if I may court her yet. She'll probably say no to me just as she has any other male whom has asked."

The fire engine red female snorted in contempt, "Not likely. She practically hangs off of your every word, every action and you don't even realize it."

"Sister's leave him be. He said he has not asked her yet so he still has time to request our permission to court mother."

Bunnymund's eyes had widened as far as they could go. Jack had kids?! Did she adopt them or give birth to them? Bunnymund couldn't help but wonder. And if she did give birth to them why hadn't she mentioned that she had a mate? She had never shown herself to be promiscuous so what was going on here? "Did Jack adopt you or is she your birth mother?"

The moon gray female laughed lightly, "She hasn't mentioned us yet huh? I'm not surprised. She is our adopted mother. She took us in after she found us after our parents died. You still have a question to ask of us."

Bunnymund looked at the other two who only made a gesture that clearly said, 'well get on with it already!' Shaking his head he spoke, "May I have your permission to court your mother and get to know you three as well."

"We have already discussed what it would mean for you to court our mother and have decided that you would be good for each other. She needs you to be a steadying hand while you need her to remind you to have fun and enjoy life not just make the motions of living so yes. You have our permission to court our mother." The males quiet voice rang through the Warren.

"Thank you. I will not hurt your mother in anyway."


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